


The Words We Left Between Us

by ahunmaster



Series: Office AU [7]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Office, Angst, Bloodshed to the rescue, Cultural Misunderstandings, Drunkenness, F/M, Forgiveness, Het and Slash, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Inappropriate pictures, Language Barrier, M/M, OCs - Freeform, One-Sided Relationship, Original Character(s), Past Rape/Non-con, Trauma, sorry about the Japanese students
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-18
Updated: 2015-08-18
Packaged: 2018-04-15 09:07:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4601070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahunmaster/pseuds/ahunmaster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It took one trip to a club to break the silence between Bloodshed and Thornstriker after what had happened the year before.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Words We Left Between Us

"Mirage!  Mirrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaagggggggggggeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

 

The poor man in question froze when he heard his name being called out.  Before he could even turn, a figure in black jumped him from behind.  The two next to him almost freaked out when they crashed to the ground.

 

"No... va... get... off... heavy." The poor man mumbled under the other body.

 

"But I wanted to say hi!  What are you doing here at Connex?"

 

"Um, Novabomb.  I think you should get off Mirage.  I don't think he can breathe."

 

The Goth looked up at the young woman standing concerned over them.  Hearing a gurgle coming from below, he pounced back quickly.  "Sorry, but I haven't seen you in so long."

 

"It's been two days, Novabomb."  Mirage peeled himself off the ground as the third man in their group helped him up.

 

"I can't help it.  I miss you."  Novabomb stood up with a smile, but it soon turned sour when the third man keep his arm around Mirage.  "Who's this guy?"

 

"Hey, guys.  Who's Mirage's new boy toy?"  Nebula interrupted them as she and Bloodshed came onto the scene.

 

Thornstriker froze up at the sight of the other two while Mirage sighed.  "He's my friend, Hound.  I've mentioned him before."

 

"Wait, you mean that nature geek who stayed in your hometown to join the police academy?"  Nebula brushed past a slowly fuming Novabomb as she went to check out the built man.

 

"Yeah.  Hound, this is Nebula, Novabomb, and Bloodshed back there.  There my other housemates. Guys, Hound."  He introduced them with his hands.

 

"Nice to meet you."  None of them would have taken this man to be the nature-loving geek friend of Mirage if he hadn't told them.  His lean and tone body did not take to that of the visual of a geek and his black jeans and police recruit shirt made him look too hot to be one.

 

"Same here."  Novabomb, the exact opposite of the new guy with his lanky look and gothic style, was not taking lightly to this guy.  Especially with the other holding Mirage to him.

 

"So..." Nebula leaned against the police recruit as she tried to break up the tension between Mirage's fan boys, "What exactly are you guys doing here again?"

 

"Umm... we-we were showing Hound around.  He came up to see Mirage because his birthday is soon and this was the only time he could come visit.  Mirage and I took him out to dinner and we..." Thornstriker blushed slightly, "We sorta ended up here in line."

 

"Huh, no wonder you two weren't back at the house when we stopped by."  Nebula looked down the line to see how much longer they would have to wait.  "We decided to come here to chill like usual.  We're friends with the security."

 

"Wait, you guys know the security guy out front?"

 

"Yeah, we and Dead End are on good terms.  He's cool with us.  What, do you need us to get you guys in?"

 

"Umm..." Mirage tried not to look at Nebula as the line continued on.  Thornstriker thought she heard him mumble something about getting kicked out when she almost tripped on a loose part of the sidewalk.

 

She was able to catch herself thanks to someone grabbing her arm.  "T-Than-"

 

She turned around to see Bloodshed holding her up, his eyes wide as if he was surprised at himself for doing that.

 

Pulling away, Thornstriker looked away.  "Thank you," she mumbled out quickly.

 

Bloodshed didn't answer, only putting his hand back in his coat and looking down at the ground.

 

Neither said anything to each other as the group waited in line.  Nebula was chatting with Mirage and Hound as the latter and Novabomb looked to be in a glaring contest.

 

Finally, they reached the scar-riddled, heavy-duty security guard outside the club entrance.  Mirage, the first in line, nervously looked up at the glaring red eyes looking at him.  "Umm... hey."

 

Before the man could respond, Nebula came up and put her arms around his neck.  "How's it going, Dead End?  Has Blackout come back to work yet?"

 

His glare disappeared.  Thornstriker, who was right behind the two, was surprised to see his face turn down a bit.  "No.  His little brother had to go back to the hospital again for more tests."

 

"Is Scorponok okay?  I thought he was doing better."

 

"Had another episode.  A bad one.  Blackout doesn't know if he'll be able to keep this job.  He can't afford any more time off."

 

"Next time you see him, tell him not to worry.  We both know the owner wouldn't fuck him over like that."

 

"Don't worry, I'll let him know."  He gave a small smile before his face went back to normal like before.  "You guys can come in."

 

But as Nebula and Mirage started to walk by, he gave the man a pointed glare.  "Make any trouble and I'll throw you out like last time."

 

Mirage turned red while Nebula laughed, shaking her head.  

 

"What the hell did you do to piss him off?"

 

He stuttered as Novabomb and Hound followed after them.

 

As Thornstriker went to follow them, the man held out his hand, "Sorry, but I can't let minors in."

 

She should have expected this, but she had been caught off guard because of everything that had just happened with Nebula and the security guard.  Luckily, she had been through this so many times that her lightning fast reflexes had pulled out her license to present.

 

The man did not seem convinced.  "You do realize that you could be arrested for having a false ID?"

 

"She's legal."  Bloodshed came up behind her.  "She's older than me."

 

The man looked like he had been told Elvis was making a comeback tour.  "You're joking."

 

"Just check her ID.  It's the real thing."

 

Dead End took the ID and stared at it for a good minute.  Finally, he gave it back, looking at Thornstriker as if she were an alien.

 

"Sorry about that.  You're good."  He mumbled as he looked away.  Only Bloodshed noticed the tinge of red on his cheeks.  He sympathized with the guy.  Dead End preferred the cute and shy types, but the poor man's luck always had him finding himself attracted to those who were younger than he would have liked.  His bad luck with women made him feel horrible about himself.  And considering his job, it was hard for him to find his type.

 

Bloodshed gave the man a pat on the shoulder as he followed the older woman.  "They do exist.  You'll get lucky one day."

 

The man composed himself as the two went inside.

 

Inside, the place was packed and partying away.  Thornstriker thought she would get lost trying to find the others when Bloodshed put his hand on her back.  "They're at the bar."

 

She had flinched at the touch, but while she was frightened, she allowed him to gently guide her to the bar where the others were already getting their drinks.

 

"Yo." Nebula held up her drink to wave hi.  "Thought you guys ditched us.  I'll get you guys some drinks.  Bar-!"

 

"Don't; one of us needs to be sober enough to drive us back." Bloodshed interrupted her, "And seeing as how you two are already drinking, I'll have to be the DD again."

 

"Aw, Bloodshed~~~."  Novabomb whined, who now seemed to be in a good mood again as he chugged down a beer.  "You always pass on the drinks."

 

"Yeah, I need one Lemon Drop for my friend here," Nebula pointed to Thornstriker.

 

"Ah, n-no thank you.  I don't drink."

 

"Come on, Thornstriker."  Mirage got a new drink, "We're here to have fun.  One drink won't hurt."

 

"Forget it; if she doesn't want to, she can be the DD.  Can you make it a Beer Buster?"

 

"No." Bloodshed waved the bartender off, "She doesn't know the way back.  And she can't drag all our drunk asses to the car."

 

"Geez, you're always such a lamer."  Novabomb leaned back to put an arm around Mirage, much to Hound's annoyance.

 

"Do any of you guys want to be the DD?"

 

An immediate flurry of 'no's and excuses came from the group.  "Thought so."  He led Thornstriker to the two seats that were saved for them.

 

A bartender came up to them to ask for their orders.  "Um... just a wa-"

 

"Sweetie."  She was interrupted by Nebula who was sitting next to her.  "You _never_ order just water when you're sitting at the bar."  The other woman put her arm around her shoulders and chuckled in her ear.

 

Thornstriker was too embarrassed at the forward nature of her roommate.

 

"Just two cokes."

 

Bloodshed ordered for them, resolving the issue quickly.  Thornstriker looked over at him surprised, but didn't say much else as their drinks were placed in front of them.

 

She didn't like clubs that much.  She did like music and having a drink once in a while, but the amount of it here was just over the top.  It was too loud, too crowded, people being too close to each other, and people who drank too much.

 

She looked over at Bloodshed as he drank his soda.  Even though it had been more than a year, that event was still something that haunted her.  She was still scared to be alone with Bloodshed even now.

 

But much had changed since then.  Bloodshed had figured it out what had happened between them when he had gotten drunk on his 21st birthday and had begged for forgiveness.  For a chance to prove that he wasn't a monster.  She had never seen him drink anymore after that.  And even his friends had complained about him not drinking with them as much anymore.

 

She felt safer around him because of that.  She was more comfortable with the idea that he was staying away from the thing that lead to him doing that horrendous thing to her.

 

"Thornstriker" Nebula sipped at her drink as she hovered over the other, "Come on, let's dance. Unless you want to hang out in the back and have some real fun."

 

"U-Um... no-no thank you, I-I'm fine." Thornstriker moved to focus on drinking her soda so as to not look at the now hot and bothered Nebula.

 

"Ahh, come on.  Loosen up a bit-" she cut her sentence short when she saw her friend glaring over the smaller woman's head.  "-Oh, for the love of-  I'm just trying to get to relax, dude. Lighten the fuck up."

 

They glared at each other for another minute before she waved him off. "Fine, fuck it. I'm gonna find someone to dance with. Hopefully they'll be more fun than you."

 

As so she jumped off the stool to join the moving crowd on the dance floor.  Mirage had jumped ship to swim through it a few drinks ago, Novabomb following soon after.  Hound didn't say much as he kept his eyes on the dance floor, keeping an eye on his friend and the other.  Thornstriker only heard him say his departure as he finished his second drink to head to the dance floor as well.

 

Now it was just her and Bloodshed, who was finishing his coke.  She was slowly getting through her own soda, feeling a bit awkward at the silence that hung over them.  She wished she could strike up a conversation, but it was hard for her to look at him.  She knew that he was watching her, only to make sure she was alright.

 

"Hey there, sweetheart."

 

She turned to see a man sit in the now available stool next to hers.  From the corner of her eye, she saw another guy stand next to him as they both checked her out.

 

"You look bored.  Wanna hang out with me and my bud over next to the DJ?" the first guy, a blond with an Adonis-like physique, pointed to the dance floor.  "We can set you up with some cool tracks."

 

"U-Umm, thank you, but I'm... I'm with... others."

 

"That's okay, we can hang out with your girlfriends later.  We know this nice spot we can all hang out at and get smooth-"

 

"Back off."

 

The two men, the second one now leaning a little closer to Thornstriker, stopped their flirting as the man sitting next to the petite woman spoke up.  "Hey there, we're just some ordinary kids getting to know each other.  We'll be out of your way in a bit."  The blond moved his hand to put it around her shoulder, causing her to jump.

 

Bloodshed didn't even turn towards them, instead picking up his glass to get the last of the Coke at the bottom.  "I will only say this once; get away from her."

 

"Hey, you snooze, you lose!  We're talking with her now.  Go find some other chick to fuck behind the bar, brotha'!"

 

Thornstriker would have been shaking and trying to plead her way out of the man's hold if she weren't so worried about what Bloodshed would do.  She had seen him lose his temper at being taunted at before in high school and college.  And if someone were to challenge him with words, he was often very vocal when he retaliated.

 

But this time was different.  She saw him turn, his red eyes glaring daggers at the men as they, including herself, froze in fear.  Slowly, he turned to stand up, standing well above the standing one of the duo as he stared down at the blond.

 

"Get away from her because _she's with me_."

 

It wasn't loud or violent.  Bloodshed was very calm, but the anger hidden away in his haunting tone make it all too obvious that he was ready to hurt them to get her away from them.

 

The men took the hint, getting away with a haste apology.  Thornstriker was left shaking on the bench, still affected by the touch of those men and Bloodshed's repressed anger.

 

"A Shot in the Pot and a Cinderella for her."

 

She looked at him, shocked at his now composed voice and posture.  "W-Wait, I don't need any-!"

 

"It's non-alcoholic."  He said quietly as the bartender prepared their drinks.  "Mine is just ginger ale and tabasco sauce.  Yours is only fruit juice."

 

She stared at him in shock, wondering what was going through his mind until the bartender placed their drinks in front of them.  She watched him take a sip of the spicy looking, red drink before she blushed as he turned to her.  

 

He pointed to her glass. "Try it." 

 

Looking away, she glanced back to see him still looking at her.  Gulping down, she took the drink and took a sip.  It was good.  It was a bit sour, but she liked it none the less.  "It's... good.  Wh-What's in it?"

 

"Lemon juice, orange juice, and pineapple juice.  Depending upon the place, they'll either use soda water or ginger ale.  I've seen them sometimes put in a spice or two to change it up."

 

She didn't think her blush could get any brighter as she sipped at it some more.  "Um... thank you."

 

He didn't say anything as he took other long drink.

 

They remained like this for a while.  Bloodshed didn't say anything to her, only moving to look around the club once in a while.  She wasn't sure what he was looking for.

 

Thornstriker eventually took to looking at the dance floor as well, bored with staring at the alcohols and other drinkers at the bar.

 

The party was going hard.  It was close to midnight, but no one seemed to be getting tired as Thornstriker looked through the crowds on the dance floor.

 

As the bodies moved together in the crowd, grinding and sliding against each other in ways one could only imagine, Thornstriker felt herself become entranced at how the bodies moved.  Though red-faced, she looked on in awe at the dance moves people pulled off and at how sexual some of the moves were.  She didn't think they could possibly be legal in public!

 

She saw the others drift in and out of the chaotic sea of bodies.  Nebula was enjoying herself as she moved from dance partner to dance partner, holding onto a man one minute before grinding against a woman the next.  Sometimes both at once.

 

Mirage was too tipsy to care who he danced with as long as he had contact with someone during the maddening beats playing overhead.  The less tipsy Novabomb and more sober Hound kept tabs on the man as they both danced with him, trying to outdo the other and keep Mirage's attention on themselves.  Mirage, however, was having too much fun jumping between the two of them as he grinded, rolled, and slid against their bodies.

 

Thornstriker found herself a little embarrassed watching them.  When Mirage somehow got them both to sandwich him in-between their bodies, she turned away to finish her drink and get a ginger ale.  It was too much for her to watch and the movements of the bodies on the dance floor were too familiar to sex moves that she was starting to feel ill at what else she recalled because of it.

 

She was about a third of the way through her ginger ale when a jacket fell over her shoulders. "Wh-Wha-?" She looked to see that it was Bloodshed's, a dark red and way too big for her.

 

She saw him standing over her.  "Gotta use the restroom.  This should keep the hounds off you until I get back.  Is that okay?"

 

Thornstriker gripped the edges of it as she slowly nodded, only looking at him as he was already walking away to the back towards the restrooms.

 

It did seem to work as one guy did approach her, but turned away when he got closer.  It looked Bloodshed's jacket was keeping her safe from the other men in the club.  The petite woman wrapped the jacket further around her as she sipped at her drink.  It was strange wearing something of Bloodshed's.

 

She could only remember two times where she had.  Once was in high school after one of his 'girlfriends' had attacked her and he put his jacket on to cover the shoulder that had been ripped off.  The second was in their sophomore year; they were at the recreation center when the fire alarm went off.  She was one of the poor souls who had been swimming in the pool when it had gone off.  She was in nothing but a bathing suit and flip-flops on a pretty cool day.  Bloodshed stripped himself of his shirt, pants, and sneakers to keep her warm.  He fared the weather in basketball shorts and wet flip-flops while she shivered under dampening clothes and wet hair.

 

Despite it being Bloodshed’s, Thornstriker found comfort under the jacket.  It reminded her of the times she wasn't frightened of him, when she had a small crush on him.  All those times he looked out for her and cared for her (in his socially-awkward way).

 

"Hey~"

 

An arm went around her, alerting Thornstriker to the other female's presence as she swirled around, using the smaller woman as her base.

 

"You look lonely. Where's your black knight?"  Nebula asked, her words being held out a little longer than usual.

 

"Um-" her face began to heat up again.  "B-B-Bloodshed went to the rest room."

 

"What?  Primus, he's gotten so boring lately. What did you do to him?"  

 

Thornstriker didn't say anything as she went back to her ginger ale.

 

Catching her breath, the party girl eyed the other as she sipped at her drink.  She and Bloodshed were being a bunch of letdowns.  It was a fucking party and they were moping around at the bar like a couple of drunk hobos.

 

A light bulb went off, making the younger woman's eyes widen before they narrowed into a sinister smirk.  With the other unaware of her scheming, a phone was quietly set.

 

About a minute later it went off.  Both women jumped at it as Nebula picked it up.

 

"Hey.  Bloodshed?"

 

Thornstriker turned to look at the other as she 'talked' into her phone.

 

"Wait, what do you mean security's got you locked up in the back?  I thought... no ID?  What do you mean no ID?"

 

Nebula had to keep herself from grinning as she watched the other watch her with fear.

 

"Yeah, I'll let her know.  Just keep them occupied until she comes."  'Hanging up', she turned to the science major, "Security's putting the ropes on Bloodshed.  He said he left his wallet with you by accident."

 

"What?"  Thornstriker was confused at first until she registered her hand grasping his jacket.  He must have had it in there and forgotten about it when he went to the restroom.  Or perhaps he didn't think he would be pulled aside for identification.

 

"He wants you to bring it to him.  He's been held in some room in the back."

 

"C-Can't you bring it to him?"

 

"He asked for _you_."  She had to play the guilt card.  The Thornstriker she knew would never let her friend down if she could do something about it.  "And they'll probably be more sympathetic to you than me.  He told me where they took him.  I'll get you there and you do the talking."

 

"M-Me?" She asked as the other dragged her to a hallway that led to the back.

 

"Yeah, just get in there, give them your cute little sad eyes, and they'll listen.  Then you can give them Bloodshed's ID and the problem's solved."

 

She didn't feel comfortable with the idea, but she understood that it was for Bloodshed and it was a decent plan.  She knew Nebula was not one to gain sympathy from others, so she would have to plea the man out.

 

"Here we are."  They stopped at a blue door marked 8A in a bright yellow.  "You go first."

 

"Huh?"

 

"Will you just open the door?"

 

Not wanting to upset the other, Thornstriker opened the door, unaware of the other smirking as she moved to stand behind her.  The light blinded her for a second, but when her sight turned normal again, she froze.

 

The room was a brightly lit room, comfy chairs and a table seated in a circle in the middle of it.  There was no Bloodshed or security in here, but rather about 7-8 Asian looking young people, all of them stopped midway between taking a drink.

 

Thornstriker looked back in confusion, "Nebula, what-?"

 

"Sorry, made up the part about Bloodshed being held by security."  She put her hands on the smaller woman as she turned her back towards the group.  "Just wanted to introduce you to a few new friends of mine.  They're a bunch of transfer students from Japan.  I think you guys will get along just fine."

 

In one swift movement, she pushed the other into the bodies of the students while relieving her of the jacket that she had.  "Have fun!"

 

Closing the door behind her, she decided to head back to the bar for another drink.  She wasn't drunk enough yet to have a good time.

 

XXX

 

Thornstriker stared at the Japanese girl whose lap she had fallen into.  Despite the fact that Asians were most of the time smaller than other nationalities, Thornstriker was still smaller than the group in here.  She could feel her palms sweating and her breath catching in her throat as she could feel the eyes of the others and the girl whose lap she was in on her.

 

This... was humiliating.  Embarrassing.  She had tricked by Nebula into coming into the back of a club and pushed into these people's private session.  Her face had to be as red as a tomato now.

 

But before she could apologize and try to leave, the girl who was holding her up chuckled, "Aww... Kawaii!"

 

Her mind went blank.  "Um... Pardon?"

 

"Ce~ute A-mer-i-can girl!"

 

"Desu~!"

 

"Ka~Wa~II!!!"

 

Before she could even realize what was going on, the group burst into chatter, speaking Japanese and broken English that left her ears ringing.

 

Then she felt the hand at her hips pulling her to the side.  "Ah!"

 

"Chu! Chu!"  She was pulled in-between another girl and a guy as they make kissing motions at her.  She could barely press away from them as a phone flashed off.

 

"S-Stop!  Let me go!"'

 

"Cu-tie PIE!"  Another two guys reached over to try and grab her, but Thornstriker was barely able to push away from them before the girl whose lap she was sitting in first pulled her back, leaning her over her lap.  Her shirt fell back a bit to reveal the skin of her stomach.  Another flash went off.

 

"W-Wait!"  Thornstriker couldn't keep up with what was happening.  One minute she was being hugged tightly before she found herself being kissed at by another in their lap.

 

She could barely keep up with the constant motions.  She didn't know who she was with as she tried to push and pull the hands touching her, and sometimes groping her, off her body.

 

When a hand brushed over thighs, most likely accidental, she froze at the feeling of the heat running over her so close to there.

 

And she could recall the only time another hand had touched there.

 

"NNOOO!!" 

 

Her scream stopped the group for a bit as she pushed away from the guy whose lap she was in.  The language barrier between Thornstriker and the transfer students made it difficult for them to understand what she was saying.  Add to that the fact that they did not know what the poor girl had been through and that all of them where drunk made it so that they did not understand her body language as she pushed away at them.

 

To them, she was another person at the party who was as drunk as them and acting silly.

 

"Hey Pret-tie!" A guy made another grab for her arm, causing the poor science major to trip back and away from him.  She fell into the arms of a guy who stood up to catch her.

 

"No!  Stop!  Please!"  But the transfer student didn't listen to her as he grabbed her just under her small bosom to lift her up, her feet up into the air before she could find support on the table.

 

"NO!"  Thornstriker was helpless as the guy made a game at leaning back and throwing her legs up.  She was unable to prevent her skirt from opening up and flashing the group, who clapped and kawaii'ed at each one.  She heard more flashes go off.

 

"No!  NO!" As they stopped, she started to sob, horrified at what had just been done to her.

 

Then the hands around her began to move up to cup her breasts.

 

Whether the guy was feeling her up or had lost his grip when trying to throw her up again was unknown.  But what did happen next was poor Thornstriker flashing back to that awful night and feeling that other man on top of her, holding him to her as he pounded away into her.

 

"AHHH!!! NNOOOO!!!" Her scream was more terrifying that time, causing the entire group to snap out of their funk to see the smaller woman attempt to claw and push her way out of the student whose grip she was in.  The poor male student was struggling with her, either trying to hold her up or put her down gently since she was still being held up off the ground.

 

But a good kick to his knee caused them both to fall, landing on top of the table with the student on top of Thornstriker.

 

The group still sitting sat stunned in shock.  The transfer student on top of Thornstriker groaned in pain from trying to prevent Thornstriker from hitting her head on the table.

 

Thornstriker found herself pressed tight against the man's body, pinned to the table and in pain from a beer bottle that broke and cut part of her thigh.  But the memory of this position was what caused her to scream.

 

"NNNNNNOOOOOOO!!!!  HELP ME!!! SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!"

 

*BAM*

 

The door flew open, crashing against the wall before it came back, now only hanging off of one hinge.  The party inside froze and looked to the new person who had literally knocked the door down.

 

Standing in the middle of the doorway was a dark-skinned man, red eyes blazing with anger and rage at the people inside.  Lips were curled back as his teeth grinded together from the growl he was holding back.  The rest of his face showed nothing but pure bloodlust; this man was ready to rip some heads off.

 

Thornstriker almost didn't recognize him.  "B-B-Blood-d-s-s-shed?" she could only whisper meekly from her hoarse throat.

 

Said man turned to her, eyes widening for a bit before narrowing in fury at the one on top of her.  Before the Japanese student could even open his mouth, Bloodshed had marched across the room and pulled him up by his collar, now causing him to hang in midair.

 

Bloodshed couldn't even hear the other transfers screaming and crying in Japanese.  He was too focused on the one who had been on top of Thornstriker.  Pinning her to the table and between her legs.

 

He wanted to kill him.  He wanted to squeeze his neck until his head popped off like a disgusting zit. How dare he?  HOW DARE HE FORCE HIMSELF ON THORNSTRIKER?!

 

But before he could follow through with it, he turned to look at the ones still sitting or lying down.

 

The other students looked frightened, some still holding their beers and phones in hand.  They were just a bunch of drunken idiots who had no idea what they were doing or what nearly just happened.

 

Thornstriker.  The sweet, beautiful woman that he loved was still lying on the table, tears rolling down her face as her clothes looked ruffled, blood seeping through the cut on the side of her thigh.

 

He turned back to the man still in his grip.  "Do you find this funny?"

 

The man looked ready to piss his pants as Bloodshed pulled him closer.

 

"I said, do you find this funny?!"

 

"I-I don't... under-"

 

"I SAID DO YOU FIND THIS FUNNY?!" He pulled the man closer, their faces now only inches apart.  "DO YOU FIND IT FUNNY TO FORCE YOURSELF ON A GIRL AS ENTERTAINMENT FOR YOUR DAMN FRIENDS?!"

 

When the other lost his voice, Bloodshed shook him violently, "ANSWER ME, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!"

 

"The hell is going on here?!"

 

Dead End suddenly appeared in the doorway of the room, looking at the carnage and the people still in there. "Bloodshed, what are you doing?  Put him down!"

 

"Dead-"

 

"I mean it.  I don't want to have to get rough with you!"

 

Bloodshed sent a glare back at him before dropping the kid to the floor.  "Then I want you to take care of these bastards."

 

"What for?"

 

"For doing this to Thornstriker!" He pointed to the woman lying on the table.

 

"Oh fuck."  Dead End walked in to kneel next to her as she sat up.  "Are you alright, Miss?"

 

Thornstriker was still in shock at what happened, moving her gaze from her rescuer to the security man.

 

"He didn't force himself on you?" The older man pointed to the still shaking transfer student on the floor.  "He didn't get to do it?"

 

Finally, she spoke, "N-No, he didn't try.  B-But I tried t-to leave and t-they w-wouldn't... I c-couldn't get away."

 

Giving a sigh, Dead End stood up and made a call.  "Hey, I need a few of the guys down here quick to take care of a few problem guests.  Get someone who can speak Japanese and someone who can get around camera phones."  He hung up and looked to the other.  "Can you take her to the back?  I need to do damage control here and she needs that cut looked at."

 

"Sure," Bloodshed huffed out as he moved to Thornstriker to help her.  She flinched at the touch at first, but did allow him to hold her steady as they limped to the back.

 

XXX

 

Thornstriker sat in a comfy chair, a blanket around her as she examined the wrappings around her thigh.  It wasn't a deep cut, but the one-eyed medic who had patched her up had told her she was lucky.  If it had been over a bit more, it could have hit a major vein and she could have bled out.

 

The medic had insisted on a simple examination because of what was assumed to have happened in the room.  Bloodshed stayed in there the whole time, waiting by the back of the room as his father's co-worker did a simple look-over of the small woman.

 

Examining the bruises on her arms, Breakdown put her arm down as he handed her a glass of water.  "I don't see any broken bones or anything.  And you swear the man didn't try anything... sexual towards you?"

 

She shook her head before she took a sip.

 

"Alright, if that's what happened."  He stood up to gather his materials.  "I'll go tell Barricade that those transfer students haven't committed any crimes."

 

"They took pictures of what they did to her."  The young man growled at the medic.

 

"Don't worry; Barricade is taking care of that.  He's going to erase the pictures they took.  And maybe threaten them a little, though it seems like they won't remember much by morning."

 

Bloodshed still didn't look convinced.

 

"Look, talk to Barricade if you have any problems with what he does.  He's been running these clubs for years.  He knows how to handle this sort of problem.  Just be glad your friend didn't get it worse."

 

Seeing the CFO's son turn away, Breakdown sighed.  "It was nice to finally meet you.  Now if you'll excuse me, I have work in the morning and would like to actually get some sleep tonight."

 

The towering man left the room, leaving the two be.

 

Thornstriker held her glass, too embarrassed and ashamed to look at Bloodshed.  She was still trying to make sense of what had happened.

 

She had been lured by Nebula into the back thinking she was going to help him.  Then she was with those drunk Japanese transfer students who had gotten... very touchy with her.  And then Bloodshed showed up and...

 

"... you okay?"

 

She was snapped out of her thoughts.  "I-I'm sorry?"

 

"Are you... you really are okay?"

 

She blinked.  "Ah... ye-yes.  I'm fine."

 

"They didn't... That guy didn't..."

 

He turned away, unable to formulate the question.  But Thornstriker could see Bloodshed, who was leaning against the wall, was gripping his hands tightly from inside his jacket's pockets.  They both knew what he was implying.

 

"I... Nothing... Nothing serious happened.  I-I'm alright."

 

She could feel the tension rising as she realized her mistake in how she had worded that.

 

"Nothing?" Bloodshed's voice sounded like he had told his mother had died.  "You screaming and crying with a stranger pinning you to a table and you say nothing happened?!"

 

Thornstriker flinched as she heard his voice rise.  "B-Bloodshed, I-"

 

"I HEARD YOU SCREAMING FOR HELP FROM THE HALLWAY!  AND I FIND YOU CRYING WITH A STRANGER BETWEEN YOUR LEGS PINNED TO A TABLE AND YOU'RE TELLING ME NOTHING HAPPENED?!"

 

Bloodshed had left his spot on the wall to approach her, but she could not see his face.  She kept her eyes to the ground, not wanting to see the anger and hurt in his eyes.

 

"ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY THAT THIS IS YOUR FAULT?  THAT YOU... LEAD HIM ON THE WRONG WAY?!  ARE YOU SAYING YOU ASKED FOR IT?!"

 

"No, no, no." She shook her head.  She wasn't saying nothing happened because she instigated it!  It was because nothing had happened!

 

"THEN WHY ARE YOU LETTING THAT ASSHOLE GET AWAY WITH TRYING TO RAPE YOU?!"

 

"He didn't try to rape me!"

 

"How do you call a man between your legs while pinning you to the table not rape?!"

 

"It-It was an accident!  W-We fell and l-landed on the table like that!"

 

"Then why were you screaming for help if it was just an accident?!"

 

"I-!" Thornstriker's breath hitched.  She couldn't answer.  She just wanted it to go away.  She just wanted this night to end so that she wouldn't be in this mess anymore.

 

As she bent over as sobs escaped her lips, Bloodshed felt as if his body had wasted away into that of an old man.  He had never felt so powerless, so worthless.  The woman he had loved, the woman whom he had tainted, the woman he swore to always protected because of what he had done had gotten hurt again.  And he had been unable to protect her.

 

Walking backwards into another lounge chair just across from the curled-up woman, his wide and shaky eyes watching her before his face fell into his hands.

 

It was a long minute of them just hating themselves before the young man finally broke the silence with a low voice.

 

"I was so scared."

 

Thornstriker's sobbing stopped.  Slowly, she looked up to see the bent over man across from her.  "W-Wh-?"

 

"I was coming back from the restroom.  I was about to get back on the dance floor when I thought I heard you screaming.  I-I thought I had imagined it, but I went back to check and then I could hear your screams more clearly.  You were pleading and I just went and kicked down the door and you were there and he was on top of you and..."  He moved his hands up, head still facing the floor, to grip his hair, "I pictured every horrible thing he might have done to you.  What he was about to do.  I just... I didn't want you to get hurt, but I... I let this happened and... Damn it, I never should have left you alone."

 

Thornstriker felt numb as she watched him beat himself up.  It was just like what had happened when he had found out he had raped her that night.  He was hysterical, angry, and so hard on himself.  And this time it wasn't his fault.  There was no way he could have known about Nebula's little trick that turned into this.

 

"Don't... blame yourself for this, Bloodshed.  It's not your fault that I-"

 

"Not my fault?" he looked up into her eyes, his become red from the tears he refused to shed out of guilt, "Not my fault?  I leave you for ten minutes and you nearly get attacked because I wasn't there!  Is it not my fault because we're at a bar?  That things like this are supposed to happen?  It's not my fault that you nearly got raped tonight because of me?  Just like it wasn't my fault back then because I was drunk?!"

 

Thornstriker felt that last line hit her hard in the gut.  While the rape itself had torn him apart, it was because she had told him that she didn't blame him that Bloodshed was still hurting on the inside.  Still hurting despite the fact that she had forgiven him months ago.

 

Bloodshed stood up again as he approached her.  He moved a hand out as if to grab hers, but pulled it back to his side.  His eyes weren't looking at her.

 

"I'm sorry."

 

"Huh?"

 

"I'm... sorry." And doing something she never thought she'd see again, the young man bent down to his knees, face down and with his hands on the ends of her chair's arms.  "I... I should have been with you tonight.  But I left you alone and you were hurt because of it."

 

She thought she saw his gaze move to the leg that had been hurt, "I know I have no right to, but I... I just wanted to protect you.  I wanted to keep you safe.  But I... I failed.  I failed again to protect you.  The one thing I could ever hope to be to you... I could only ever hope of being your protector.  And I failed... I fucking failed to protect the one person I love more than my own mother."

 

Thornstriker felt even worse than when he had begged her forgiveness like this months back.  She had forgiven him then.  She had already done so long before that, but she had told him that back then for his sake.

 

But now... he was going to beat himself over this like before.  She remembered what Bombrush had told her during spring break about what had become of his son the months after the realization.  About how much he cared for her and how important she was to him.

 

It had come as a shock, though not as much since she had heard Bloodshed confess his love to her on the day after he remembered his 'crime'.  Though she had reasoned it to be an emotional outburst to his state of mind at the time, it still affected her hearing it being told to her by a third party.

 

She looked at the man kneeling before her.  She thought of everything that she knew of the younger man in front of her.  And of her own feelings towards him.

 

Reaching out gently, she put her hands on his shoulders.  He looked up in response, his eyes growing bigger when she moved her hands to his face.

 

"Bloodshed," she started off slowly, "You didn't fail me.  You did protect me.  When you came to save me, that man had done nothing to me yet.  You saved me.  But you'll still blame yourself for this, even if you don't deserve it."

 

She leaned forward to be almost nose to nose with him.  "But I can do something else to show you how I feel."

 

He flinched when she put his arms around him, only for his body to freeze up when she pulled him into a hug.

 

"Thank you.  You came to save me and that's all that matters now.  You did protect me.  And I can't... I can't thank you enough for all the times you've saved me before this.  If anyone needs to say they're sorry, it should be me for not being able to give you anything in return for all those times you came to my rescue."

 

Bloodshed's arms fell to his side as she hugged him tighter.  He didn't understand.  She hated touching him.  She flinched at the sight of his hand reaching out to her.  How... Why?

 

And what did she mean she was sorry?  What did she mean he protected her?  He _raped_ her.  He forced himself on her because of his... love for her.  He shouldn't even be alive for what he did for her!  But she didn't report him to the police.  She didn't stop being his friend.  She asked him to move in with her after college.  She even said she forgave him.

 

He didn't deserve it.  He didn't... deserve it...

 

But as he knelt there, wide-eyed and uncertain of what to do, he felt her arms tighten even further.  Her head burrowed into collarbone as her arms under his armpits caused them to rise.  Caught between his self-hate and her warmth next to his neck, he slowly brought them up.

 

But he stopped before they found a place to rest on her shoulders.  He couldn't.  He couldn't recall that night, but the nightmares still made him see those haunting images of what he did.  And he was afraid of what he would see if he held her to him.

 

His hands shook as they laid down on the chair behind her.  They gripped at the fabric, anger, hatred, and guilt flowing through them.

 

But he could not contain it anymore as he lowered his head onto her collarbone in return.

 

Thornstriker didn't flinch as he touched her shoulder.  And she could not make out the sound that came out of his mouth.  But she did move her hands up to hold his head to her like a mother.

 

And when he finally moved five minutes later, his arms coming up to place the blanket that had fallen off her shoulders back on, she did not let go still.

 

And she didn't flinch when he finally, gently and hesitantly, put his hands on her blanket-covered shoulders.

 

XXX

 

After Barricade had gotten everything resolved (8 crying Japanese transfer students, 26 deleted media files, and 2 emotional college grads later), he offered his condolences to Thornstriker and offered VIP access if she ever wanted to come back as an apology.  She was hesitant to accept, but took it anyway to make the stressed out club owner feel better.  According to Bloodshed as they were escorted back to the club, the boss over Barricade's boss did not like tolerate scandals like this happening at the clubs.

 

It definitely explained why Bloodshed had to promise Barricade not to tell his father about this.

 

Getting back to the dance floor, they were able to have their escorts drag their drunk and tired friends to Bloodshed's car.  It was a tight fit, but they were able to fit the four into the back seat of the Hummer his father had gotten him for college.  He and Thornstriker took the front as they drove back.

 

The science major looked back at the sight of the sleeping quad.  Hound was against the window with Mirage leaned up against him.  Somehow, Novabomb had squirmed his way from his seat to wrap himself around the smaller man's waist.  Oh course, doing this from his seat at the other window meant that Nebula, drunk and completely out of it, slid down to lay uncomfortable on top of Novabomb's posterior and head against the car's side.

 

"Umm..." she asked as Bloodshed stopped at the light.  "Shouldn't we stop and fix them?  They don't look comfortable."

 

He took one look back, seeing Nebula first from his seat.  "They're fine.  Besides, the highway's coming up.  They'll be fine for the rest of the trip."

 

She knew he was lying.  While the others would be somewhat alright in the morning, the young woman would most definitely wake up with a very sore and stiff body.  And a nasty headache from all the times her head kept knocking into the car's door.

 

But she knew Bloodshed was pissed at Nebula for what she had done back at the club.  And while she wouldn't want him to harm her because of what she did, Thornstriker knew he could stay angry for a long time.  If this would help him get over what she had done, then she found it better than anything else he might have done.

 

Shuffling in her seat, Thornstriker tried to keep her eyes on the road.  But she found herself rubbing the edges of Bloodshed's jacket, which was back around her again after he took it back from Nebula's drunk self, and looking to the driver.

 

He wasn't as angry or as depressed from earlier.  After their emotional outburst in the back of the club, he had gone back to his reserved self again when Barricade returned to check up on them.  She wasn't sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

 

But the silence between them was killing her.

 

"Bloodshed?"

 

"...Yeah?"

 

Even though he hadn't looked to her, she still looked back to the road.  "Do you remember that one writer who read at our campus during freshman year?  That event you asked me to come to?"

 

He thought about it for a bit before he remembered.  A local poet was giving an hour seminar at the library and while he was interested in going, he didn't want to look like the idiot who went by himself.  Caught between his want to go and his pride, he had asked Thornstriker to come with him, knowing his friends would never want to sit through an hour of talking.

 

"Yeah.  What about it?"

 

"Do you still remember the question you asked him at the end?"

 

It was during the Q&A.  While others had asked simple questions about his life and what inspired the more quirky poems he had written, Bloodshed had asked him one that was more meaningful and about a poem that no one had asked about.

 

**_When you talked about the silence between the people of that town in that one poem, were you alluding to their feelings and relationships that they were forced to hide from each other?_ **

 

She had suddenly remembered it.  She had thought he was being insightful about it back then, not knowing how well it reflected him or his relationships with his friends and loved ones.  But after what happened between them and the distance both had created between each other since then, she started to actually 'feel' the silence between them.  She had created the silence at first to hide his 'crime' because she did not want to lose him as a friend.  But it didn't work and when he figured it out, he did the same.  Only his intentions were to break the relationship and feelings between them.  But he couldn't.  Neither one of them could hide or break their bond.

 

Bloodshed gripped the steering wheel.  He remembered that event.  He even remembered the question.  But he was hesitant to know why she had asked.  "Not really.  Why?"

 

She gulped.  "You had asked the poet about the silence between people."

 

He nodded, showing he had heard her.  He knew he couldn't stop her, but he didn't want to brush her off.  Not that he could in this small environment.

 

"And I was just thinking... about us... heh heh... funny how you just remember those sort of things?"

 

Thornstriker nervously played with the jacket again before she looked back at him.

 

"Well... What I really wanted to say was... I was thinking about tonight.  About these past six months.  The last year and a half.  And I thought about how we've... moved apart."

 

Bloodshed didn't know what to say back.  He had been through that same period as well.  Through her distancing herself from him, through him trying to stay away from her.  Through all of that.

 

"And while we've... s-started to mend the rift between us."  She pursed her lips.  "I-I couldn't help but notice how when we're around each other... it's quiet."

 

He blinked.  It hadn't dawned on him to think of their current relationship like that.

 

"Sometimes, we hang out or meet and we won't talk to each other.  Or we won't look at each other.  We only do anything if our friends or someone else causes us to respond to each other.  Like at that party last month."

 

Bloodshed remembered.  Out of all the times he had ever wanted to kill Novabomb because of his stupidity, this was the one he nearly came close to doing it.  After agreeing to that stupid game of Truth or Dare, that asshole had to dare him to do _that_.  He had dared him and he couldn't back out of it.  He had to feel Thornstriker shake beneath his hands because of what Novabomb dared him to do to her.

 

Thornstriker saw his fingers grip the wheel harder.  "While it was understandable, I've now started to think that maybe..." she muttered off.

 

"What?"  He took a quick look at her before he turned back to take the right into their driveway.  "What did you say?"

 

She had the chance to stop there.  She could brush it off as nothing and leave it as it was.  They were at their house, it was most certainly an option.  But she knew she couldn't just brush it to the side anymore.

 

"I hate the silence too."

 

He turned off the car before he stared at her in confusion.  "You... What are-?"

 

"Like you had asked the poet.  You compared the silence to the bonds those people had.  I didn't realize it then, but I figured you didn't like the silence they had with each other.  How they wanted to reach out and fill the silence with their love and compassion.  But they couldn't because something held them back.  You and the poet went back and forth about that."

 

They had.  He had found the poem very personal to himself.  But he was still confused as to what it had to do with them.

 

"Before... that night... you would always say hello to me whenever we met on campus.  I would always try to talk to you if I had the time.  I always enjoyed your company, when you spoke or asked me to go to something you wanted to go to as well.  If I ever wanted to go anywhere, I always made sure to ask if you were interested as well.  You even went to that biochemical seminar when none of my friends could go."

 

It nearly killed him from boredom, but he had enjoyed spending those three hours with her watching those presentations on chemicals and whatnot as she talked on and on at how important these 'scientific' figures were.  Not that he really cared about what they had done in their early years.

 

"Comparing that to now... I want..."

 

He didn't hear the end of it.  "You want what?"

 

"I want to go back to that."

 

His eyes widened a bit.  "Back?  Back to what?"

 

"When things were normal.  When we would talk normally.  When we would hang out and talk and be ourselves.  Not like now where we seem to keep avoiding each other... I-I... I want to change that."

 

She turned to look at him.  "I want to stop you on campus and say hello again.  I want to ask you for help with my English work and ask if you would spend the day helping me out.  I want you to come to me for help with your projects and tests.  I want you to come the night before a test, asking me how to solve an equation or to show you how to figure out something.  I miss that.  I miss when we could talk to each other about our lives.  Like when it was normal."

 

He saw her heave as she tried not to cry again.

 

"I don't want to hear nothing between us anymore.  I just want to hear you say hello again.  I want to hear you ask me about a stupid math problem.  I want to hear you tell me about a party off campus that you'll drag me to anyway if only to see me laugh as Novabomb spills his drink over the host.  Or to laugh at me when Nebula brings over a two girls and offers one to me.  Or to tell me that you'll take me home now because I'm getting flustered.  I want to hear that.  I just want to hear that again."

 

She looked down before she buried her hand in her face.

 

"I asked you if you wanted to live with me after college.  I know you said yes, but I don't know if I could live through that."

 

He flinched.  She wasn't... taking back what she had said?

 

"I want to live with you.  I want to stay your friend.  But I can't think of living my life coming home to a house... to someplace I'll call home if it's silent.  I can't come back to a house without you there to say 'Welcome back' when I walk through the door.  I can't... I can't."

 

Bloodshed watch as she started to break down again.  Yes, the silence she had given him before had nearly killed him in the year after 'that event'.  And he had willing surrounded himself in it after he found out to punish himself.  He didn't like the silence.  He didn't like it when it felt like there was nothing between the people close to him.

 

With his father, it had been nothing but fear, hatred, and anger.  It wasn't the best, but at least it had been something.  With his friends, it was crude jokes and sexual themed interests they shared, but there was some understanding and respect in there as well.

 

With Thornstriker, it had been everything he had never had in his life before he had met her.  She was kind, understanding, compassionate, patient, and so many other things.  The closest he had ever had to this bond was with his mother when she was in one of her good moods.  But the love wasn't mutual between him and Thornstriker.  Her love was platonic, his was more than that.

 

He wanted that back so badly.  But he felt he didn't deserve it.  He hadn't been sure what to do for a long time that he had done nothing about the previous situation she had put them in.  But he had slowly let the silence fill in as she tried to reconnect with him again.  When she had forgiven him, when she had asked him if he wanted to live with her after college, when she had thanked him that night for protecting her.

 

Bloodshed felt guilty that he was hurting her again because of what he did.  But he knew she would only get upset about it if he blamed himself again.  All he could do was try to fix it...

 

"Thornstriker."

 

She heaved back her sobs, wiping away at the tear growing at the corner of her eye as she looked back up at hm.

 

"I... I'm... sorry if I-"

 

"Don't..." she reached out to put her had on his shoulder.  She hated that.  She hated how he blamed himself for everything.  She was responsible for this as well.  "You know I hate that."

 

"I know..." he looked to the side, "I just..."

 

"We're both sorry."  She finished.

 

He nodded.  He hated it when she took the blame, but more arguing about it wouldn't help.

 

"I want... to change it too."  He turned back to her.  "I... want to go back... as well... if you still want to."

 

Bloodshed seemed so nervous.  Like he was afraid he was going to break something.  But she knew him.  He didn't want to hurt her again.  He never wanted to ever again.  She knew that well.

 

"I do."

 

He nodded.  An awkward pause followed after them.

 

"Graaa~"

 

A low moan from the back caused them both to remember their drunk and knocked out occupants.  That's when the cold night bite at their skin.

 

"I think we should get everyone inside before they get hypothermia."

 

"Yeah."

 

Working quickly under the barely lit moon, the duo dragged the other four into the house to lay them to bed.  Hound was originally going to get the sofa, but since Novabomb's grip could not be broken from the other's waist, he got Mirage's bed while the stuck couple got Novabomb's bed.  Thornstriker made sure Nebula got back to her bed.  She figured if she left that to Bloodshed, he would have left her in the most uncomfortable and most embarrassing place possible in her mess of a room.

 

Taking deep breaths, the two took a breather on the couch as their tired and exhausted selves began to feel the stress of the night's events.

 

"At least we still have Sunday before we have to get back to classes."

 

The younger man grunted in agreement.

 

"Well, I guess we should turn in ourselves."

 

Nodding, he stood up with her as they walked to their rooms.  But as they moved apart to go to their respective rooms, he stopped.

 

"Thornstriker?"

 

She stopped at her door to look back at him, only able to see his back.  "Yes?"

 

"On Monday... after classes... do you...?"

 

He gulped.  He never thought a question could be this nerve-wracking...

 

"Could you... meet me at the library for some... coffee?"

 

She blinked.  She was not prepared for him to ask that.  "Umm..."

 

"I..." he sighed, "I was... wondering if you... would want to help... I have a lab due Tuesday that I... haven't started yet."

 

Thornstriker felt her face warm up slightly.  But as the warmth spread to her whole body, she smiled softly.

 

"Okay."  She answered softly.  "I would love to help."

 

His shoulders tensed for a second before he opened his door.  "Okay." he responded.  "See you then?"

 

She stepped into her room, but didn't close the door all the way.  "Alright."

 

Nothing else needed to be said.  And with that, they both closed their doors behind them.

 

The silence that was between them would take some time to fill.  But at least it wasn't as lonely as it was before.

 

END

**Author's Note:**

> An old art trade I did with xlosersruletheworldx years ago. A few things had to be fixed to fit canon wise with her AU.


End file.
